Travel insurance

Hello everyone,
some time ago I was reading a post where someone mentioned travel insurances in specific connection to the problems Thailand was going through at the time.
So now I'm wondering, regardless of the Red shirts, do you always get an insurance when you travel? any specific one?

I have to say I only got it once last year during a month long holiday in Thailand.. I'm not even sure why I got it to be honest but it wasn't too expensive so what the heck.
I get worldwide coverage from my health plan so I'm not sure why I should get an extra one...?

[Beachlover]

If you have worldwide coverage with your medical insurance back home then I wouldn't bother with travel insurance unless you're REALLY worried about lost flights, lost luggage, lost bookings due to cancelled flights etc.

Medical is really the only reason I get travel insurance... worldwide medical coverage for emergencies or catastrophic injury/illness. I just get a yearly policy, which covers multiple trips.

[bing]

Hi Total and Beach,

You may be covered by your policy at home, but if you need to or wnat to return to your home country, look real close if that company will fly you from a place like Thailand. The trip insurance companies will assure your transportaton even if it costs up to $50,000.00 which is you have a heart attack or stroke you will need perhaps special medical transport. It can be very expensive to purchase on your own without insurance. I never travel with out it, but that is me and so far I have never needed to cash in on it at all. But just because I have not needed so far, does not make me thnk I may not need it in the future. The company I choose is IMG ( Internatinal Medical Group) I thiink Traveler Jim represents this company on Sawatdee. He would be a source of information on this type of insurance.

Thank you Bing.
I just remembered the insurance I used that one time World Nomads..

What you say is exactly what worries me, not that I ever do anything dangerous but because a very close friend of mine had a horrible accident in Thailand a few years ago.. he was let's say tipsy and he had rented a scooter which I would never ever do for the same exact reason why he had the accident: we're Italians.. we drive on the other side... I'm sure I could manage driving on the left lane but it would take me concentration.. concentration that I could hardly get together if drunk.. even worse in a country where they drive carelessly (I've never seen as many run-over people as in Thailand) and where you always get the impression the bigger the vehicle the more the priority. So if you're on a bus/truck you're almost safe.

I don't remember for sure if my friend had an insurance but he had to get 6 seats to fly back home in a stretcher because he had fractures all over from being hit by a truck..and he's very lucky to have survived and be fully recovered too.

I don't think it's worth the risk to save 100 euros or so and then risk paying 20.000 euros in case problems arise..


Hi Total and Beach,

You may be covered by your policy at home, but if you need to or wnat to return to your home country, look real close if that company will fly you from a place like Thailand. The trip insurance companies will assure your transportaton even if it costs up to $50,000.00 which is you have a heart attack or stroke you will need perhaps special medical transport. It can be very expensive to purchase on your own without insurance. I never travel with out it, but that is me and so far I have never needed to cash in on it at all. But just because I have not needed so far, does not make me thnk I may not need it in the future. The company I choose is IMG ( Internatinal Medical Group) I thiink Traveler Jim represents this company on Sawatdee. He would be a source of information on this type of insurance.

[TrongpaiExpat]

. he was let's say tipsy and he had rented a scooter which I would never ever do for the same exact reason why he had the accident: we're Italians.. we drive on the other side...

Read the fine print. My Insurance in Thailand BUPA does not cover an accident where I violate the law and that includes drunk driving.

I looked at an insurance policy I had for a Budget rental car and on the back listed all the conditions and exclusions and drunk driving was one not covered for damages and injuries.

Is this condition unique to Thailand? I don't know.

True.. my car insurance has an extra that covers even in case of drunk driving..
I do not intend to drive, let alone drunk.. so I should not worry about that..

But reading the fine prints is always very very important.. one way or another they screw you over..
Even in case of political evacuation, I just read the one of IMG plans Bing suggested.. they say they will not cover evavuation if the US whatever has issued warnings about that country even in the 6 months prior to arrival.. so I get there and all things are quiet, something breaks out, I'm screwed because there had already been issues in the past... whoo hoo




. he was let's say tipsy and he had rented a scooter which I would never ever do for the same exact reason why he had the accident: we're Italians.. we drive on the other side...

Read the fine print. My Insurance in Thailand BUPA does not cover an accident where I violate the law and that includes drunk driving.

I looked at an insurance policy I had for a Budget rental car and on the back listed all the conditions and exclusions and drunk driving was one not covered for damages and injuries.

Is this condition unique to Thailand? I don't know.

[Beachlover]

Hi Total and Beach,

You may be covered by your policy at home, but if you need to or wnat to return to your home country, look real close if that company will fly you from a place like Thailand. The trip insurance companies will assure your transportaton even if it costs up to $50,000.00 which is you have a heart attack or stroke you will need perhaps special medical transport. It can be very expensive to purchase on your own without insurance. I never travel with out it, but that is me and so far I have never needed to cash in on it at all. But just because I have not needed so far, does not make me thnk I may not need it in the future. The company I choose is IMG ( Internatinal Medical Group) I thiink Traveler Jim represents this company on Sawatdee. He would be a source of information on this type of insurance.

Well, I'm not covered by my policy at home... That's why I buy an annual travel insurance policy. Doesn't cost much... $300 or something.

Medical transport back to your country can cost up to $150k in some cases.

[Beachlover]

I don't remember for sure if my friend had an insurance but he had to get 6 seats to fly back home in a stretcher because he had fractures all over from being hit by a truck..and he's very lucky to have survived and be fully recovered too.

Ouch... could've cost more if he'd been bad enough to need a doctor or nurse present with medical equipment onboard etc.

I don't remember for sure if my friend had an insurance but he had to get 6 seats to fly back home in a stretcher because he had fractures all over from being hit by a truck..and he's very lucky to have survived and be fully recovered too.

Ouch... could've cost more if he'd been bad enough to need a doctor or nurse present with medical equipment onboard etc.

Yeah he had all that..he was broken from neck to ankles

[pong]

get the picture clear:
1. this is simply unwise to compare and not telling for what country/nationality you are and for what you exactly want to insure yourself. Especially what is covered as to medical-and what may be covered by the insurance or national health from back home makes an enormous difference.
2.if you travel more often it may be wiser to get permanent insurance. But then the duration of trips may not exceed a certain time-and this varies with again every country and every firm.